The Beast Keepers is the story of Jonathan F. St. Roche, a young veterinarian who takes a job in the rural Ohio town of Carrollton. He soon discovers it is a safe haven for a menagerie of mythical creatures (including a pregnant pegasus, a flying monkey with a sprained wing, a centaur with Cushing’s disease, and a unicorn with a sweet tooth) who rely on him for their medical care and shelter from the outside world.

This was simply a fantastic fantasy book. The young doctor finds a new career with a variety of new creatures and along the way finds an odd family of sorts among the folks who protect and care for these creatures. At the heart of this book is a sense of learning and understanding about things that may defy your imagination. Jonathan steps up with no hesitation and helps the town deal with a potential threat. This book is great on the fantasy but also in developing family and friendships. It's the people who are beside you that help you through the most difficult troubles.

Thank you to @netgalley and @victoryediting for allowing me to review this book.

This was fun! Cozy, romantic without being over the top- fun characters and a world I’d love to see and explore. I want .:. More! I’d love a second part to these beasties!!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing an arc in exchange for an honest review- all thoughts are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
When I saw the synopsis for The Beast Keepers I knew I had to read this book. A vet working with mythical creatures sounds amazing. This was a cute, cozy and an easy read. I did expect more from it. The animals were the best part of the story and I wish we saw even more of them.

Possibly one of the easiest premises to sell: following a vet to mythological creatures. Who wouldn't read that?

But while I appreciate the research that went into this, that alone does not a good story make. The conflict was unfocused (and overall barely an inconvenience, to be honest), and ultimately the moral dilemma was very human-focused. It's the kind of thinking that allows us to get rid of predators without considering the ramifications for the ecosystems.

With that being said, I'm glad we got to see a bit into how vets have to balance different responsibilities. People do not understand how hard or how big of a toll it takes. (I have a vet-in-training sister.) So it's always good to have more portrayals, even if they're in the fantasy genre.

Also, what was the point of that romance? I'd gladly trade it for more animal interactions, or any other sort of interactions, really. Maybe that way that turning point moment would have a bit more weight.

This book is for you if you enjoy:
- (talking) mythological creatures
- slower paced stories
- vets going through moral dilemmas

Thank you to Netgalley, Julie Fudge Smith and Boyle & Dalton for the e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Boyle & Dalton and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive this ARC.

The Beast Keepers has a wide array of mythical creatures, each with quirky personalities, of which I love.

The pacing is a bit off, especially with a 2 year time jump after the main character Jonathan finds out about the mythical animals.

But asides from that, it is worth a read by anyone that loves animals and fantasy.

Jonathan is disenchanted with the world of veterinary services for racing horses and looking to return to the Midwest and a more relaxed practice.

What he’s offered is the opportunity to live in small town Ohio where he’ll be charged with caring for more than just the local dogs, cats and farm animals.

This story is one of magic, found family, belonging and hard decisions.

A fun read, but a bit choppy in pacing and somewhat surface level without fully fleshed out characters.

The Beast Keepers is the story of Jonothan F. St. Roche, a vet who decides to change the field he's specialising in and takes a job in the rural town of Carrollton, Ohio where he encounters a whole host of interesting clients.

I read The Beast Keepers over a couple of nights while away camping and it was a really lovely, easy read.

It didn't quite get to 5 stars for me because I've been reading a lot of cosy fantasy books recently and this wasn't my favourite. But I would still absolutely recommend it to fans of cosy fantasy. Especially if you like a mythical animal or two.

Thank you Julie Fudge Smith, Netgalley, and Boyle & Dalton for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

I had to dnf this one, for the same reasons others have stated; mostly the lack of characterization and world building. It's unfortunate that such a whimsical sounding story couldn't hold my attention.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a stand alone and I was definitely in the mood for a comfy, low stakes story. If that is something of interest to you, I highly recommend The Beast Keepers. As someone who grew up driving throughout rural Virginia, the descriptions of rural Ohio hit home. I felt like I had been transported to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with its small towns, beautiful valleys, and the mountains on the horizon. The characters are very Hallmark, which is perfect for the mood of the story. The mythical creatures were so delightful and the idea that these creatures are hidden in the vastness of America’s rural communities protected by generations of families near and dear to them was so sweet. I had a great time with this story and if you are looking to build up your comfy autumn TBR, I highly recommend adding this to the list! Thank you Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book really surprised me. From the beginning it was a little difficult to read but as it continued, things began to fall in place. It was a little difficult to jump back and forth from the mythical to the reality of veterinarian practice, but when you read fiction, it just happens sometimes. Johnathan was very likeable and genuine, which I instantly appreciated. I think it could have used more detail about the history of the creatures and the families they were involved with. It seemed like that would have filled in some gaps and helped tie it together more. This book felt similar to a Hallmark movie with a little fantasy, a little romance, a lot of smiles. This is a pretty good read for summer or anytime you want a feel good book, for the most part.
Thanks NetGalley for the e-book.

The Beast Keepers is a delightful read, with a wonderful cast of quirky characters including a variety of mythical creatures.

Jonathan St. Roche leaves his job as a veterinarian to race horses to join a rural practice. Little does he know that his patients will include a variety of mythical animals who talk and have needs he never faced when treating horses. I particularly loved the centaurs, and of course Mr. Bingley, Jonathan’s talking dog. This is a fun read and I enjoyed it. After some trauma, there was a satisfying, if predictable, HEA.

I received an ARC copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Boyle & Dalton for the ARC!
I received an ARC of 'The Beast Keepers' for my honest and true feedback. I applaud first time authors and it's upsetting when you want to like a book so much and somehow it just falls flat.

Let me open with the understanding that I was 100% sold on this premise. As an Ohioan myself, its exciting to see a fiction book that idolizes the beauty of the midwest. The story just needs some serious editing.

No one will be eager to visit Ohio with the infrequent and short descriptions of the scenery. It is not enough to have a main character standing on a porch enjoying a cup of coffee. <-- That sentence doesn't elicit the smell of a richly brewed french roast mixing with the woodsy aroma of decaying leaves and the smell of moss and metallic that lingers after a rainstorm.

There was little to no world building and a circus of characters that are introduced for two sentences a chapter and with whom the story relies upon to continue the plot. Despite an upwards of 20 different characters, Bingley was by far the funniest and most well rounded. Yet Bingley isn't present for a majority of the major plot points. Following the lack of world building, there seems to be a lack of presence in the story. There are very little emotional and sensational descriptions. The story is told in a manner similar to 'The Old Man and the Sea'; it's chock full of single sentence statements. When Jonathan is having his irrational internal dialogue, we get nothing but definite sentences around his confusion, his longing. How does your body react when you're longing for someone else. You feel the heat climbing up your neck, the rapid heartbeat and the little voice in the back of your head arguing with everything you're consciously thinking. This was missing in the book. It needs a way to feel real as opposed to a story being dictated.

The pacing is also incredibly off, especially in the first ten chapters or so. It would be more prudent to open with Jonathan already moved to Ohio and the reader can get up to speed on his life decision through his memories, maybe on his first vet appt. This will help to continue to the pace of the story and eliminate the abrupt chapter transitions. Otherwise, we're jumping days, to weeks, to a year all within 60 pages.

My final note is that the story is not believable to the reader. Jonathan is vet, an experienced and qualified vet. That's EIGHT YEARS of SCIENCE class, while practicing in different countries with their own indigenous animals. However, it takes all of three sentenced for Jonathan to make a HUGE leap towards mythical creatures. There is no thought process around how maybe these are just the most evolved versions of a creature dominant to the area. There wasn't even a reference to how this could generate an internal struggle to reconcile a lifelong pursuit of reason and science with the bizarre animals he finds himself exposed to. It would have been a far more interesting storyline if the author weaved in his suspended belief and gave us a story around biological evolution vs this incredibly unrealistic relationship with Anita. Anita got the shaft as far as storylines go. It does make me feel sorry for her in the end.

The author provides personal details around the acknowledgments section at the end of the book. It is admirable the amount of research to depict the veterinary sciences accurately in the story. My final, I promise this is the final, thought; remember the story description. This is a book of pure fiction, it's a fantasy. At any point during the research phase, did you ask the vets what their thought process would be if they were told mythical animals were not only real, but they'd be treating them in secret?

A book of fantastical creatures living alongside everyday folk and animals. The plot itself i loved, i just felt the style of writing let it down, too lightweight, missing out chunks of time and days between events.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

As a Veterinary student myself I was so excited to receive this book and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Loved the rural atmosphere, the clinic and the more "exotic" animals.
The book was really cozy and lighthearted in a good way.

3.5 rounded up
Delightful tale of a veterinarian seeking small town life, who discovers small towns can hide big, unusual secrets. Not a deep plot, nor deep character development…just fun.

This is a lovely story based on a very original idea. There's a lovely setting, a good mix of fantasy and reality.
There's a fascinating world and there's lovely characters in this book.
I think that some editing could improve the storytelling and make this book an excellent story.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

As an animal lover I was super keen to read this book, i wasn’t disappointed, I have to say it is a cosy fantasy read for a winters afternoon snuggled inside. Likeable characters. If you like high action fantasy this is not the book for you.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
I was intrigued by the cover, and the description of a modern veterinarian (Jonathan) finding a job in a secluded county that's become the home to animals that most people think are just myths.
Good things include the relationship between the main character and a dog he adopts, and interesting descriptions of animal care and the extrapolation of this to a number of 'mythical beasts' that are introduced to the reader.
It's quite a short book, and I did find that it read more like loosely connected stories than a novel; the ending was rather abrupt too, and it seems like this is a single book, without plans for more (although I may be wrong). There are a lot of characters and animals, and we don't really get to know many of them very well. There's a kind of romance subplot, but it's so understated I really wonder why it's there.
I think this might be more suited as a YA book, with a 4H protagonist or vet apprentice. I would have welcomed more background of some of the histories hinted at, and some tidying up of the romance plots.
Did enjoy this, and would recommend to animal lovers, and those looking for an undemanding read.

Book Review 📚
The Beast Keepers by Julie Fudge Smith - 4/5 ⭐

A beautiful fantasy filled with mythical creatures. I was sold on the cover and title alone. The illustrations to the cover are beautiful and it looks gorgeous.

The writing in this book is phenomenal. Smith goes above and beyond with such utterly fantastic descriptions. Both people and creatures alike, they are all described so perfectly that there isn't even a bit of hesitation when picturing them. It's so thorough and detailed. That really made the book for me.

Although a slow paced book, it was definitely still fantastic. It was missing bits of excitement and suspense but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Some people can't cope with a slow burn but I refuse to DNF a book for that reason alone.

It was so wonderfully written, a great plot and wonderful characters and creatures. Smith has produced a brilliant fantasy story about mythical creatures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

The Beast Keepers is a cozy fantasy read filled with mythical creatures. Together with the cover, the premise of this book really caught my attention. I went in with high expectations and ended up enjoying this story because of the animals, the writing, and the coziness of the town.

However, there were also a few disappointments in The Beast Keepers. For one, I found the story to contain a few too many characters. If you put together all the characters that played bigger roles in the book, you get too many names to remember and it starts becoming confusing. And even though the story was cute, it missed a real something to set it apart. The whole premise that a basilisk threatens the town didn't really become that big of a thing for me.